West Brom's Aune Heggebo has been handed a two-match ban by the Football Association for 'deception of a match official' following a controversial handball goal in the opening Championship game against Norwich City.

The incident occurred with 15 minutes remaining when Jimmy Jay-Morgan's cross deflected off Norwich keeper Vladan Kovacevic before seemingly hitting Heggebo's hand and entering the net. Referee Tim Robinson and his assistants missed the handball, awarding West Brom the goal in a 2-1 victory.

In a rare move, the FA charged Heggebo under Rule E3.1, marking what appears to be the first application of this 'deception' charge following a rule change two years ago. West Brom contested the decision, arguing the handball was accidental given the ball's deflected trajectory and the player's split-second reaction time.

The club plans to seek clarification from the FA on how players should reasonably respond in similar situations. The case has reignited debates over VAR implementation in the Championship, which English second-tier clubs recently rejected for the 2026-27 season. Heggebo will miss upcoming matches against Burnley and Newcastle United.

Former striker Chris Sutton supported the ban, stating players should 'think twice' about gaining from deceptive acts, while ex-West Brom midfielder Richard Sneekes called the decision 'absolute nonsense'.